1. Field of the Invention
This application relates generally to a television that can operate in accordance with new functional application software. More particularly, this application is directed to a television that can download new functional application software through a removable, externally-connected software module and can operate the new functional application software as a new television feature without the need to connect an additional hardware device or additional hardware devices to the television.
2. Description of the Related Art
From the early days of television and even through today, television stations broadcast television programs as analog signals and television sets receive the analog signals via television antennas and transduce the received analog signals into viewable, continuous moving pictures with audible sound such as voice synchronized to the moving pictures. As television technology progressed, accessory devices were developed that connected to the television set to enhance the functionality of the television set. For example, a video cassette recorder, commonly known as a VCR, could be purchased as a separate hardware device and connected to the television set in order to record viewer-selected broadcasted television programs.
As progress in the television technology continued, many modern television sets today include computer-like capabilities. These modern television sets include high performance microprocessors that run on a dedicated operating system such as Linux (which is an operating system originally created by Linus Torvalds with the assistance of developers around the world under the GNU General Public License and the source code of this operating system is freely available to anyone). Such computer capabilities enhance the functionality of the television set. For example, Yahoo (a registered trademark of Yahoo! Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif.) Widgets can be downloaded from the Internet to television sets with computer-like capabilities for display thereon.
Additionally, television sets with computer-like capabilities usually have firmware stored in a non-volatile memory. From time to time, this firmware might require updating. A USB (universal serial bus) memory device stored with updated firmware can be inserted in a USB port on the television set so that the updated firmware can be downloaded to the non-volatile memory.
It would be beneficial to provide a television that can be enhanced in functionality without connecting additional, separate hardware devices to the television. It would also be advantageous to provide a television that can be connected to a removable external storage device containing television-enhancement software for downloading so that the television would have enhanced functionality without the need for connecting additional or separate hardware devices. The present invention provides these benefits and advantages.